John McEnroe: Hall of Fame Induction Speech, 1999

[@jaseayathorai3762]

A brilliant speech by John straight from his heart. The gratitude for all is so refreshing. It was great watching all those matches.

[@rickatherton7476]

Love John as a tennis commentator. And loved watching as a player a player. His matches with Connors were like heavyweight championship fights.

[@stephenportell]

The man acknowledged everybody who touched his life and his game. You can't hate on Mac. Not now. Not anymore.

[@kenarthur6253]

John had the best volley and net skills of anyone. Amazing instincts. He's still a heck of a player in 2021.

[@willkittwk]

Think I'd give him a run for his money.

[@willkittwk]

Yeah reflexes can stay sharp forever. I play a guy whose 75 in doubles he played infield for the Chicago Cubs back in the day at net his reflexes are still sharp as a tack.

[@Q1ller]

I just love his personality. He's always been so real and honest.

[@loril6437]

You know you are right. So fitting.

[@VVS167]

Straightshooter🌹

[@Jasonchen1965]

Great speech . So true , warm and honest .

[@chriswylie253]

"Making it" as a professional tennis player isn't just talent but requires an intricate network of coaches, family support and sacrifice, money, luck, and people who believe in them sometimes more than they do. McEnroe knows that and focuses on thanking those that helped him, even thanking obscure references to people long gone that many don't remember. John remembers and gives thanks, rather than boasting or calling attention to himself. Incredible irony he ended up so humble about a sport that considered him selfish.

[@neilgutteridge6405]

Fabulous era of tennis.....will never be as good again.You are a legend John.

[@SuperPassionflower]

Always LOVED John McEnroe!!

[@davidstepanczuk]

I love the way he knows and honors tennis history, and its people big and small.

[@ronaldcrosby2388]

Me and my little brother loved tennis and one of the biggest thrills was getting to see John McEnroe play in Albuquerque NM in 1986. He is for certain one of the best ever.

[@stevebendelack3935]

What a brilliant speech.Full of love and respect.And john is so charming.A pleasure to listen to John.

[@loril6437]

No doubt the best looking man It seems back in the 80's borg was thought as good looking.but he is not better looking than John. Yes 1st name basis. 😂 😂

[@willkittwk]

@@loril6437 you're drunk

[@loril6437]

@@willkittwk i don't care what you think. Especially with a user id liven the dream, well wake up

[@willkittwk]

@@loril6437 you must have your beer gogles on when you say that guy is the best looking guy in tennis. Even John would say you're nuts.🎊🤣💯

[@willkittwk]

@@loril6437 Borg was rather skinny and wimpy looking . The long blond hair was his main thing as they played tail end of the hippie era where macho looking wasn't the thing. Though Adriano Panatta was a handsome guy resembled a beefed up Paul McCartney.

[@1m2rich]

Intelligent tennis. John's mother had a handful with John. Today teachers would think him a ADH kid. So much energy always.

[@sama4978]

THE GOAT TENNIS, THE BEST.

[@stevephlyer]

I had the pleasure of meeting John McEnroe in person in 2016, and was quite surprised at his eloquence, honesty, and knowledge of the sport. Certainly a more mature personality than in his heyday of dominating tennis. This sport and many others would certainly benefit from personalities like his.

[@loril6437]

I believe that Sounds apropos.

[@terrycarthy4433]

You were "surprised at....his knowledge of the sport" ?? Why ? Seems all tennis players have a near reverance for the history of the sport and players (Djokovic - as but one example- referred to Rod Laver as "Sir" and - other times - "Mr Laver").

[@willkittwk]

You didn't think people grow up by 60? Ok

[@Yellowswift3]

I love the Mac's dry wit. :)

[@surfshack2]

Yeah that was a great speech.

[@Dcioutsourcing]

Great natural speech mr. Charisma too many rules today, sport sanitized without Big Mac..!

[@michaelbarlow6610]

McEnroe has always had a great introspective aspect to his personality!

[@samson9098]

I love tennis because of him.My favorite of all,forever and ever, remains four..John ,Borg, Aggasi and Edberg.

[@balat77]

Lot of theatrical talent also from Johny Mac 🙌🏻😇

[@dpreymak]

You knew the speech was going to be brilliant before you even sat down, and I am and was a Connors fan!

[@gvalley07]

The golden age of tennis. He was a big part of it.

[@codyross1000]

Johnny Mac being Johnny Mac

[@naomipatrao]

Gosh! So true!

[@jorgecartagena6136]

JOHN THANK YOU FOR SIGNING MY RAQUET AND SUPER TENNIS., YOU ARE THE BEST CONGRATULATIONS

[@loril6437]

Go Roe. Always have been my favorite player . Mr. John McEnroe you are a great speaker too who knew? Lol I remember wanting to come to a summer camp you were teaching. My dad was no way José. It was advertised in my subscription to the Tennis magazine. Would you possibly recall this? It would have been in 81 or 2. Thank you for being my hero!!! 😅

[@1m2rich]

Even in 2022 I love it when Mac does the monderating of tennis.

[@mauziki]

What a heartfelt speech!

[@lostinspace699]

He is good with the mic Funny .....Australia

[@antonebeach3609]

A legend.

[@JohnMal-nk2qw]

John is the reason I stared watching then playing tennis, both he and Ivan Lendl.

[@rosiedebevc1952]

John great speech. Yes he.did good volley

[@anotherNYer]

Always irreverent. I love him.

[@ericmesser1]

John McEnroe is going to in the new Star Wars movie.............//the title will be “The Umpire Strikes Back”

[@balat77]

Lol

[@loril6437]

@@balat77 good one!

[@AZDC99]

Sponsored by the anti-male feminist network (lying about statistics)... WAPE

[@jnnx]

This joke is about as derivative as the current direction of Star Wars. . .

[@terencewinters2154]

He should mention Vitas. He did vitas was fast but didnt have that special backhand. And John's lefthanded that helped.

[@mauziki]

He did mention Vitas.

[@DB-jh8cg]

Wow..he said... "in the year 2019"

[@magnacz]

He is extremely generous trying to mention everybody that encouraged and helped. Not reading from script and loving his family, parents and brothers not forgetting the stepchildren. Why wasn't Mary Carrillo there she is the best female commentator together with Johnny Mac they are the most enjoyable and informative team. He could have mentioned his first wife, mother of most of his children. The game benefitted from his line calls. Finally they have figured out the technique so we don't depend on umpires and linesman. He was great fun to watch and a great gifted player that was right most of the time.

[@davidahrens2841]

Simply amazed at the high praise and admiration of this tennis player I was in my mid twenties when he was at his peak abilities. I loved and enjoyed playing and watching tennis Except when he played Most of his tirades were so cringe worthy, I couldn't watch them. He had no respect for anyone else but himself, he was truly a spoiled brat. And now... What a ridiculous question, "should i apologize to the umpires?" He should be on his knees begging for their forgiveness for his outrageous behaviors. His inappropriate actions and language should have been dealt with by expulsions from the start. It is an eternal mystery why they weren't...too much money involved. He was a perfect example of how not to act on a tennis court. Now... He WAS and still is a tremendous golf talent. He is a good golf commentator. I often wonder what his response would be in calling a match where a player acted as he did! Also, I admire his stand on his S.W.'s comments And not caving to high profile RV anchors. Like Tiger Woods, he will be included on my list of Greatest/worst sports individuals.

[@rc-darkangel774]

This was before the big three? Amazing! I think when you say greatest of time,Goat ....if you include doubles and singles , we forget Billie Jean King, Martina and Mcenroe! How??

[@briansd2772]

This was more like a roast than an induction sperch.

[@MarianM2023]

My God John McEnroe need AI official ing when he played.😊

[@uncletony6210]

John had a hard time going more than 3 mins without saying something inappropriate here.

[@loril6437]

Hahaha he is the Mac he can.

[@michaelbarlow6610]

McEnroe mentions Frank Hammond as an all-time great chair umpire, but how about Richard Ings and Rich Kaufman?

[@boomerang8909]

24:40 Before Bruce became Caitlyn Jenner, there was this...

[@hendrik19601]

haal of fame, section Brats

[@stevederen921]

Sorry, John, your brother is not a good commentator... as compared with you. Frankly, there are 2 good commentators in tennis today - John McEnroe and Marina Navratilova (there is also one good one in Australia but I forgot his name). The rest of the comments spin around "what I can see by myself" instead of risking an opinion. I will not mention the names of the really bad... However, with you John, or with Martina, I can learn tennis and its tactics. Wish you are (MN, JM) commenting more often as it is a mine of knowledge!

[@derekgiesbrecht-xp5yc]

Do you mean Robbie Koenig? He's very good

[@thetruth-xb4yh]

dinkins was not he a bad mayor?

[@Slowhand871]

Alpha

[@mikevannuys]

16:30🤣🤣

[@mddistribution30]

Always followed Mac's career very closely. Such a shame that the 2nd half of his career was so much worse than the first half. Never even reached a Slam final from 86 onwards, retired in 92

[@boomerang8909]

3:56 It required the inaugural wheelchair event in 2005 to overcome the lack of English-born talent to win a Wimbledon Championship: The winner was a pair from Paris, France and Leicester. Ever since then, it's been few and far in between with Stockport born Liam Broady and Tom Farquharson won Boys Doubles in 2010, Jonathan Marray in 2012 Men's Doubles just to name a few; Andy Murray is Glasgow born, so when it comes to Commonwealth Games, he's not English. Last but not least, Tim Henman was one set away from reaching the Final in 2001, but lost in five sets to Goran Ivanisevic.

[@tywagner9563]

That's Super Brat

[@ushav5670]

Gosh he just cannot stick to a topic...he keeps veering from here to here... was never a fan of his tantrummy style that used to get printed in the sports page of those years... but he has definitely aged gracefully...looks much better in old age than when he was a professional tennis player...

[@captainh3831]

Well he was around 40 here....is that old?

[@charlesbromberick4247]

As a huge McEnroe fan, I must say he rambles and raves way too much here.

[@desmit4406]

Emblematic of his whole career.....HE CAN'T SHUT UP!!!!!

[@1m2rich]

Lots of energy still from John.

[@aakoch6062]

He looks like US citizen.

[@mouritsa22]

Do not like his behaviour in the court.I would never introduce him to my school students as a role model....

[@kingtyomama6564]

McEnroe is my favorite player of all time in tennis. Played when it was awesome and full of talent. This speech however, is terrible. He's not nervous, but he rambles on without a plan. He digresses constantly during this babblefest. He talks about stories and ppl nobody knows.

[@NordicUrs]

I like him, but this speech is just awful. He can’t finish one thought/topic, just aimlessly meandering around. Any rhetoric teacher would fail him. Couldn’t finish listening to this Blabla

[@sevaraalimova4706]

Shut your mouth! Don’t say subjective things about one of the greatest tennis players of all time! That is mind blowing! What do you know? Who are you? Are you good at tennis? Answer: no, do you have a right to judge John McEnroe? Answer: no If you have these opinions keep them to yourself. I’m not even a McEnroe fan! Imagine what one of them would say.

[@Matt-ng4tj]

Jealous much?

[@marcyfan]

too many "rhetoric teachers" and too few john mcenroe's! if you don't want to listen, don't listen.

[@lindahalpin7697]

Love John. Wrong about Britain not winning..Andy won twice..Scottish of course..🎉

[@wakecoalition3834]

People have the right to express their opinion. You don't have to know tennis to be able to comment. So stop telling people to shut up. Who do you think you are. I ikr tennis and half the things he said I don't necessary know. But I can certainly comment on the impression he gave them during his matches. Don't forget his antics then I wasn't crazy about. But hey, he was a young kid.